Chrysler`s 2008 Hybrid
Seven weeks before the date of official introduction of three Chrysler`s concepts to the press the automaker provided preview for Detroit motor show. The reasons are clear. Chrysler which adopts hybrids very slow and does all the best to resist the changes wants to avoid previous mistakes with electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-ins (PHEVs). Each of these are environmentally friendly and are equipped with an electric motor system and lithium-ion battery pack which is not completely developed yet. The concepts are different in size, design intent - and mechanically of course. The cars have different approach to “range extender” for the powertrain.
EcoVoyager, for example, got a small hydrogen fuel cell. Owing to it the total range is about 300 miles. Its design is a sleek, one box rounded.
In general that’s said to celebrate “the romance of automobile travel embodied in a four-door, four-passenger distinctively American design” as it is elegant and very simple at the same time. The car is expected to be very roomy inside. Design chief Trevor Creed said that the vehicle really made the most of cab forward once again. EcoVoyager has 200 kW (approximately 250 hp) motor which allows the car to sprint to 60 mph in less than eight seconds.
The Jeep Renegade concept is only 153 inches long, which is just a few inches longer than the MINI Cooper. It is 63 inches wide and represents a little two-seater with a cut-down windshield.
Its interior is very easy to clean. Light-weight aluminum construction, good ground clearance and four-wheel drive make the concept also very attractive. The car seems to be perfect for any type driving area. The fuel consumption is 110 mpg. Only on electricity the vehicle can go up 40 miles. For longer distances a small-displacement Bluetec diesel kicks in. It provides supplemental power for the motor system and charges up the cells. The car is also uses regenerative braking which is especially necessary in stop-and-go driving as it allows improving efficiency and extending the range.
The third concept Dodge ZEO represents a four passenger 2 plus 2 sport wagon. Its design seems to be quite opposite to that of Chrysler usually takes. The car has a long hood, rearward cabin, and tremendous 23-inch wheels.
Creed called ZEO a “new, responsible breed of muscle car for the 21st Century.” Its larger lithium-ion battery pack allows a 250-mile driving range. Add to this a powerful 200 kW electric motor and you`ll get a splendid EV for driving fans.[VIA: thecarconnection.com]
Written by autoguru on November 21st, 2007 with
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